Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News
August 8, 2006, Vol. 06-84

Results From the Field: SAMHSA's Elimination of Barriers Initiative (EBI)

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA's) Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) developed the Elimination of Barriers Initiative (EBI) to work with States and other stakeholders to combat stigma and discrimination, reduce barriers to treatment, and build public support for the principle of recovery as well as an array of accessible, quality community-based services.

The SAMHSA Resource Center to Address Discrimination and Stigma Associated with Mental Illness (ADS Center) hosted a training teleconference to:

. Describe the pilot EBI, including its goals, approach, partnerships, and
portfolio of public education activities and materials.

. Present a summary of the EBI's accomplishments and outcomes in terms of
the extent and effect of its outreach activities to schools, businesses, and
the general public.

. Describe the lessons learned while implementing public education
campaigns to reduce mental health stigma and discrimination.

. Present future activities, including the publication of an EBI resource kit and
implementation of the National Anti-stigma Campaign (NAC).

Download the complete presentation online. To access the archived recording via telephone:

1. Call the playback dial-in number: 1-888-844-1786 2. When prompted, enter the reference number: 192275#

The ADS Center hosts approximately six free training teleconferences annually. These events generally consist of two or more formal presentations followed by an open forum. Participants present and discuss the most up-to-date research and information about stigma and stigma-reduction programs and topics, as well as share experiences and expertise on efforts to counteract discrimination and stigma associated with mental illness. Look for details in August about our next training teleconference!

We welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions: promoteacceptance@samhsa.hhs.gov

The SAMHSA ADS Center is a program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services.

About the SAMHSA ADS Center
SAMHSA's Resource Center to Address Discrimination and Stigma (ADS Center) helps people design, implement, and operate programs that reduce discrimination and stigma associated with mental illnesses. With the most up-to-date research and information, the ADS Center helps individuals, organizations, and governments counter such discrimination and stigma in the community, in the workplace, and in the media.
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The Center for Mental Health Services is a component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services.